Committee adopts oral amendment and forwards bipartisan legislative security commission to Rules

Senator Westlund presented Senate File 3833 to establish a bipartisan commission focused on legislative security outside the Capitol complex. The bill as introduced included a membership structure that some members said risked partisan imbalance. Senator Westlund moved an oral amendment to make the commission bipartisan by equalizing majority and minority appointments (three each per chamber). The committee adopted the A1 as orally amended.

Supporters emphasized recent threats to legislators and families and the need for a focused body to study, recommend and coordinate security practices. The bill allows generally open meetings but includes provisions for closed sessions when specific security vulnerabilities are discussed and requires retention of certain closed-record materials for a defined period (minimum eight years, maximum 20) with review processes.

The committee voted to recommend SF 3833 as amended to pass and referred it to the Rules Committee for further action.